Saturday, September 15, 2012

What We've Been Up To ...

Wow, it's been awhile since we posted.  Summer brings with it so many activities, that it's hard to find time to write about them in between all the fun!  This coming week is Deaf Dog Awareness Week!  Thus, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to catch you up on what the girls have been up to. 
 
Jasmine continues to keep life interesting for us!  She turns one year old this month.  That hardly seems possible.  We finished up a beginner obedience class this summer.  Jazzy went through a period where she got very cautious around strangers.  I hope this is almost behind us.  It took me by surprise because she's always been so outgoing.  Instead of forcing her, I have just been patient and allowed her to approach people on her own terms as she's comfortable.  She is learning some cute new tricks.  And she still loves nothing more than an intense rough and tumble with Brinks!
 
Grace is on a bit of a diet, as she has started to gain a few extra pounds.  We play in the yard doing agility jumps and tunnels.  As long as the sun is not too bright and it's not starting to get dark, she can see well enough to judge the height of low jumps.  We are training rally exercises and some canine freestyle tricks, like weaving between my legs, spinning, and backing up. 
 
Treasure continues to love doing K9 nosework.  She is starting up classes again for the fall, which always challenge us and give us new things to work on.  The weather has been wonderful lately, so all of our hides have been outside.  We've done more vehicle hides and we've ventured out and used different areas of the fields around our house.  She's very intense and continues searching until she finds her way back to the source of the odor.  We've taken a break from therapy visits for the time being.  Treasure has started a raw diet to see if it will help to clear up her many cysts.  However, our therapy dog group doesn't allow dogs eating raw diets to go visiting.  So we will see how the diet affects her and then decide whether to go back to the previous diet and to visiting. 
 
In a week, we'll be at the NCSR sheltie rescue picnic!  What fun!  Shelties everywhere!  Treasure will get to show off her K9 nosework skills, and maybe some of her tricks!  She's a bit of a local celebrity, so she will of course be meeting and greeting all her fans!  I can't think of a better way to wrap up Deaf Dog Awareness Week! 
 
Do you know a deaf dog?  If so, do something special for and in honor of them this week!